London’s biggest charitable funder launches survey seeking views on how to spend £100 million to make London fairer

Last month the City of London Corporation’s charitable funder, City Bridge Trust, launched a wide-ranging consultation and research project to develop its next funding strategy aimed at tackling disadvantage in London.

Every five years the Trust conducts a review and assessment of the work that it does in fulfilling its vision of a fairer London, where everyone can thrive. This process ensures that they stay relevant and alive to the changing needs of Londoners.

London can be a city of great inequalities and divides. The Trust is interested in hearing views on what people think are the biggest challenges facing Londoners now, and in the future.

An online survey has now been launched to gather views to help shape City Bridge Trust’s funding strategy for 2018-23 with a grants budget of £100 million. The charitable funder wants to hear from as many people as possible to help see where funding is needed – and this survey is an important part of enabling this.

The survey is just one part of a broader consultation which includes a series of conversations with a variety of different audiences. These conversations are about fact-finding, listening and engaging with people who know City Bridge Trust already, and those who don’t.

The review will be completed by summer 2017 with the Trust’s website providing regular updates on the project.

People can also engage via social media using the hashtag #BridgingLondon.

David Farnsworth, Director of City Bridge Trust, said:

“We feel strongly that it is only by working together that we can develop a funding strategy that really rises to the challenges and opportunities that exist within London. This is an exciting opportunity to engage with our partners across the capital to help ensure that London is a city where everyone can thrive. We hope as many people as possible take the time to fill out our survey and contribute towards the direction of our funding and help establish those in the greatest need.”

City Bridge Trust is London’s largest independent grant giver, making grants of £20 million a year to tackle disadvantage across the capital.

It has awarded over 7,531 grants totalling more than £353,396,242 to 4,510 different organisations across the capital since 1995.

It helps achieve the City of London Corporation’s aim of changing the lives of hundreds of thousands of Londoners.